9/23/2022
Ep 126 START Pilot Program On this episode of the Palmetto Guardian we talk with Sgt. Travis Duncan, Start NCOIC and Ssg. Shannon Timmerman, South Carolina National Guard Suicide Prevention Program Manager, about their new suicide prevention training. We dive into new resources that are available to service members and how the start program is helping service members in the South Carolina National Guard. The Palmetto Guardian is hosted by Staff Sgt. Chelsea Weaver and Pfc. Ana-Grace Catoe with the South Carolina National Guard Public Affairs office. 0:00 - Intro 1:11 - What is the Start program? 1:41 - How does the Start program differ from the annual mandatory suicide prevention briefs? 8:50 - What is the importance of the start program? 11:31 - What are the tools the start program offers? 12:56 - Is the program voluntary? 20:20 - Livingworks credentialing possibilities 20:50 - Is the program available to the airguard? 22:00 - Start course progression since May. 23:44 - What is the feedback on the program from m-day soldiers? 24:20 - Bringing soldiers out of their comfort zones. 25:01 - Why does the training have to be so straight-forward? 25:50 - A big problem with trying to break the stigma. 27:40 - Can this training be used outside of the military? 32:00 - Does enrolling in behavioral health affect your security clearance? 34:35 - How being a part of suicide prevention and intervention is upholding our duty to selfless service. 35:00 - What is the biggest takeaway from the start program? 37:00 - The importance of understanding that some situations are out of our control. 38:30 - How can someone who wants to be a part of this program get involved?

9/23/2022
South Carolina National Guard Soldiers assigned to Detachment 1, Company B, 2-238th General Support Aviation Battalion, perform high-altitude flight operations, aboard of a CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift cargo helicopter in proximity of Vail, Colorado, Mar. 09, 2017. The crew was attending a week-long power-management course at the High-Altitude ARNG Aviation Training Site (HAATS) located near Eagle, Colorado. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Roberto Di Giovine)

9/23/2022
A flight of two U.S. Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopters and two U.S. Army UH-60L Black Hawk medium-lift utility helicopters, respectively assigned to the 1-151st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion and 1-111th General Aviation Support Battalion, 59th Aviation troop Command, South Carolina National Guard, perform low-altitude training in vicinity of Sumter, South Carolina, Dec. 3, 2021. The training was conducted inside a new training area created specifically to provide South Carolina Army National Guard, rated and non-rated crew members with a controlled environment in which safely develop low-altitude piloting, navigation, and combat skills, as well as crew-resource management techniques. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Roby Di Giovine, South Carolina National Guard)

9/23/2022
A flight of two U.S. Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopters and two U.S. Army UH-60L Black Hawk medium-lift utility helicopters, respectively assigned to the 1-151st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion and 1-111th General Aviation Support Battalion, 59th Aviation troop Command, South Carolina National Guard, perform low-altitude training in vicinity of Sumter, South Carolina, Dec. 3, 2021. The training was conducted inside a new training area created specifically to provide South Carolina Army National Guard, rated and non-rated crew members with a controlled environment in which safely develop low-altitude piloting, navigation, and combat skills, as well as crew-resource management techniques. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Roby Di Giovine, South Carolina National Guard)

9/23/2022
U.S. Army Cpt. Jon Strickland and Warrant Officer John Gootee, with Company A, 2-151st Security and Support Aviation Battalion, S.C. Army National Guard, perform flight operations during a night training-mission aboard of a LUH-72A Lakota multi-mission, light utility-helicopter, upstate South Carolina, November 30, 2017. (U.S. Army National Guard Photo by Staff Sgt. Roberto Di Giovine)